Particle transporter

ABSTRACT

A particle transporter based on travelling-wave dielectrophoresis is provided. The particle transporter includes a first collection electrode and a second collection electrode on a substrate. The first collection electrode has a first dentate portion. The second collection electrode is located adjacent to the first dentate portion of the first collection electrode. The second collection electrode has a second dentate portion at a side adjacent to the first dentate portion. Where, a particle collection space is formed around tips of the first dentate portion and the second dentate portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of and claims the prioritybenefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/104,016, filed on May 9, 2011,now allowed, which claims the priority benefit of Taiwan applicationserial no. 100109384, filed on Mar. 18, 2011. The entirety of each ofthe above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated byreference herein and made a part of specification.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to a micro device or a micro electromechanicaldevice. Particularly, the disclosure relates to a particle transporter.

2. Related Art

In chemical reactions, biochemical reactions (for example, cellseparation and integration) and enzymatic reactions, etc., particles inthe reaction are generally required to be moved. A particle transportercan be implemented to move the particles. According to a conventionaltechnique, a fluid driving module is generally used to drive fluid (forexample, water) in the particle transporter to flow, and drive theparticles in the fluid to move along with flowing of the fluid. Duringthe moving process, since the fluid driven by the fluid driving moduleis maintained in a fixed flow direction, the conventional techniquecannot arbitrarily change the flow direction of the particles or fixpositions of the particles, i.e. cannot make the particles to moveupstream. On the other hand, according to the conventional technique,the additional fluid driving module and related fluid pipes arerequired, which lead to extra cost.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the disclosure provides a particle transporterincluding a first collection electrode and a second collection electrodeon a substrate. The first collection electrode has a first dentateportion. The second collection electrode is located adjacent to thefirst dentate portion of the first collection electrode. The secondcollection electrode has a second dentate portion at a side adjacent tothe first dentate portion. Where, a particle collection space is formedaround tips of the first dentate portion and the second dentate portion.

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages ofthe invention comprehensible, several exemplary embodiments accompaniedwith figures are described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating adielectrophoresis (DEP) phenomenon of particles in an electric field.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a twDEP phenomenon of theparticles in the electric field.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa first exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa second exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa third exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa fourth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa fifth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa sixth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

Particles suspended in an electric field may exhibit an electrophoresisphenomenon due to influence of various forces. A low-frequency electricfield EF may exert a Coulomb force to charged particles 110 to cause theelectrophoresis phenomenon. The aforementioned particles includebiomedical cells, bacteria, virus or other organic/inorganic particles.An interaction between the particles and a non-uniform field may cause adielectrophoresis (DEP) phenomenon, an electrorotation phenomenon or atravelling-wave dielectrophoresis (twDEP) phenomenon, etc. Thesephenomena can be used to non-destructively manipulate positions of theparticles and move the particles.

The disclosure is directed to a particle transporter, which uses adielectrophoresis (DEP) force and a travelling-wave dielectrophoresis(twDEP) force to move/transport particles.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating the DEPphenomenon of the particles 110 in the electric field EF. A power supplyunit provides a power signal to each electrode. For example, analternating current (AC) power supply 120 provides an AC voltage to twoelectrodes to produce the AC electric field EF between the twoelectrodes. The low-frequency AC electric field EF induces frequencyrelated dipole moment to the polarizable particles 110 and surroundingfluid. Since the electric field EF is non-uniform, the Coulomb forcesexerted to two ends of the particle 110 are different. Therefore, theparticle 110 is attracted towards a direction with a stronger Coulombforce. In FIG. 1A, when the polarization strength of the particles 110is greater than that of the surrounding fluid, the electric field EFhave a positive DEP effect on the particles 110, and the particles 110are attracted towards a region with a stronger electric field EF (movedtowards directions shown by arrows). In FIG. 1B, when the polarizationstrength of the particles 110 is smaller than that of the surroundingfluid, the electric field EF have a negative DEP effect on the particles110, and the particles 110 are moved towards a region with a weakerelectric field EF (moved towards directions shown by arrows).

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the twDEP phenomenon of theparticles 110 in the electric field EF. A substrate 210 is made of aflexible/rigid non-conductive material, which is for example, a printedcircuit board (PCB), etc. A plurality of transport electrodes 220 aredisposed on the substrate 210 along a straight-line direction (forexample, an X-axis direction shown in FIG. 2). The transport electrodes220 form a conveyer 200. The transport electrodes 220 respectively havea rectangular shape, and are parallel to each other as that shown inFIG. 2. Those skilled in the art can adjust/determine a width a of thetransport electrode 220 and a space b between two adjacent electrodesaccording to a characteristic of the particles 110 and a characteristicof the surrounding fluid. In the present exemplary embodiment,0.5a<b<1.5a, and for example, a=b.

These transport electrodes 220 are respectively provided with a set ofAC signals, and the AC signals of any two adjacent electrodes of thetransport electrodes 220 have a phase difference, which is, for example,90°. For example, in FIG. 2, if the AC signal provided to a firsttransport electrode 220 at the left side has a phase of 0°,the AC signalof a second transport electrode 220 then has a phase of 90°, the ACsignal of a third transport electrode 220 has a phase of 180°, and theAC signal of a fourth transport electrode 220 has a phase of 270°.Deduced by analogy, the AC signals of a fifth to a seventh transportelectrodes 220 respectively have phases of 0°, 90°, and 180°. Therefore,these transport electrodes 220 provide an electric field having atravelling wave (with a direction from the left to the right). Theparticles 110 are moved along the travelling wave direction under atravelling-wave dielectrophoresis (twDEP) force, which enables thesetransport electrodes 220 to provide a straight-line channel to transportthe particles 110.

Lengths of the transport electrodes 220 are approximately the same.Those skilled in the art can configure the lengths of the transportelectrodes 220 to be unequal according to an actual design requirement,for example, the lengths of the transport electrodes 220 of FIG. 2 aresequentially decreased from the left to the right (along the X-axisdirection). Since the straight-line channel provided by these transportelectrodes 220 is narrowed from the left to the right (along the X-axisdirection), by moving the particles from the left to the right, aparticle collecting effect is also achieved.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter. The particletransporter includes a plurality of turn-around electrodes 310, forexample, turn-around electrodes 311, 312, 313 and 314 respectivelyhaving a rectangular shape shown in FIG. 3. These turn-around electrodes311, 312, 313 and 314 form a turn-around 300. The turn-around electrodes311, 312, 313 and 314 are disposed on a substrate in a fan shape, andthe turn-around electrodes 311, 312, 313 and 314 are not connected toeach other, as that shown in FIG. 3.

A power supply unit provides power signals to the turn-around electrodes310 of the particle transporter. For example, these turn-aroundelectrodes 310 are respectively provided with a set of AC signals, andthe AC signals of any two adjacent electrodes in the turn-aroundelectrodes 310 have a phase difference, which is, for example, 90°. Forexample, in FIG. 3, if the AC signal provided to the first turn-aroundelectrode 311 at the left side has a phase of 0°, the AC signal of thesecond turn-around electrode 312 then has a phase of 90°, the AC signalof the third turn-around electrode 313 has a phase of 180°, and the ACsignal of the fourth turn-around electrode 314 has a phase of 270°.Therefore, these turn-around electrodes 310 provide an arc channel fortransporting the particles 110. For example, a particle 110-a is movedalong the arc channel under a function of the twDEP force (moved along adirection shown by an arrow). However, since the space between theelectrodes at an outer side is excessively large, the electric field atthe outer ring of the arc channel is excessively weak, and the particles110 (for example, a particle 110-b) close to the outer ring of the arcchannel can probably escape due to the weak twDEP force.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa first exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The related descriptionsof FIG. 3 can be referred for descriptions of the present exemplaryembodiment. The particle transporter includes a plurality of turn-aroundelectrodes 410, for example, turn-around electrodes 411, 412, 413, 414,415, 416 and 417. These turn-around electrodes 410 form a turn-around400. The turn-around electrodes 410 are disposed on a substrate in a fanshape, and are not connected to each other, and neighbouring sides ofany two adjacent electrodes of the turn-around electrodes 410 areapproximately parallel. For example, a neighbouring side 401 of theturn-around electrode 411 is approximately parallel to a neighbouringside 402 of the turn-around electrode 412. In the present exemplaryembodiment, the turn-around electrodes 411, 413, 415 and 417respectively have a rectangular shape. These rectangular electrodes arearranged on the substrate in a fan shape. The turn-around electrodes412, 414 and 416 respectively have a triangular shape (or a fan shape).Theses triangular shape (or fan shape) electrodes are disposed betweenthe turn-around electrodes 411, 413, 415 and 417, as shown in FIG. 4.Therefore, the neighbouring sides of the rectangular electrodes and thetriangular (or fan shape) electrodes can be mutually parallel.

Those skilled in the art can adjust/determine a width of each of theturn-around electrodes 410 and a space between two adjacent electrodesaccording to a characteristic of the particles 110 and a characteristicof the surrounding fluid. For example, if the width of the rectangularelectrode is a, the space between the rectangular electrode and thetriangular electrode is b, and a length of a side opposite to an acuteangle of the triangular electrode is c, then 0.5a<b<1.5a, and c<2a.

Theses turn-around electrodes 410 are respectively provided with a setof AC signals, and the AC signals of any two adjacent electrodes of theturn-around electrodes 410 have a phase difference, which is, forexample, 90°. For example, in FIG. 4, if the AC signal provided to thefirst turn-around electrode 411 has a phase of 0°, the AC signal of thesecond turn-around electrode 412 then has a phase of 90°, the AC signalof the third turn-around electrode 413 has a phase of 180°, and the ACsignal of the fourth turn-around electrode 414 has a phase of 270°.Deduced by analogy, the AC signals of the fifth to the seventhturn-around electrodes 415-417 respectively have phases of 0°, 90°, and180°. Therefore, these turn-around electrodes 410 provide an arc channelfor transporting the particles 110. For example, a particle 110-a ismoved along an inner ring of the arc channel under a function of thetwDEP force (moved along a direction shown by an arrow), and a particle110-b is moved along an outer ring of the arc channel under the functionof the twDEP force (moved along a direction shown by an arrow). Designof the turn-around electrodes 412, 414 and 416 mitigates the problem ofexcessively large space between the electrodes at the outer ring of thearc channel, so that the particles 110 at any positions in the arcchannel formed by theses turn-around electrodes can be smoothly turnedaround without escaping.

The conveyer 200 of FIG. 2 and the turn-around 400 can be arbitrarilycombined according to an actual design requirement, so as todetermine/define a moving path of the particles 110.

Implementation of the turn-around 400 is not limited to the abovedescriptions of FIG. 4. Those skilled in the art can implement theturn-around 400 by using other layout structures according to an actualdesign requirement. For example, FIG. 5 is a top view of a layout of aparticle transporter according to a second exemplary embodiment of thedisclosure. The related descriptions of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 can bereferred for descriptions of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5.Different to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the turn-aroundelectrodes 412, 414 and 416 shown in FIG. 5 respectively have atrapezoidal shape.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according tostill a third exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The relateddescriptions of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 can be referred for descriptions ofthe exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6. Different to the exemplaryembodiment of FIG. 4, the turn-around electrodes shown in FIG. 5respectively have a trapezoidal shape. Those skilled in the art canchange theses turn-around electrodes 410 to the triangular shapes or fanshapes according to an actual design requirement.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa fourth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The particletransporter includes a common electrode 710, a plurality of left switchelectrodes 720 and a plurality of right switch electrodes 730 disposedon the substrate. The common electrode 710, the left switch electrodes720 and the right switch electrodes 730 form a switch 700. For example,the left switch electrodes 720 include electrodes 721, 722, 723, 724,725, 726, 727 and 728, and the right switch electrodes 730 includeelectrodes 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737 and 738. In the presentexemplary embodiment, the common electrode 710, the electrodes 721-728and the electrodes 731-738 respectively have a rectangular shape, and ifa width of each rectangular electrode is a, a space between any twoelectrodes of the rectangular electrodes is b, a and b satisfy aninequality of 0.5a<b<1.5a.

The left switch electrodes 720 and the right switch electrodes 730 arerespectively disposed at a same side of the common electrode 710. Theleft switch electrodes 720 are disposed on the substrate along a firststraight-line direction 741, and are disposed adjacent to a first end711 at the same side of the common electrode 710, and the left switchelectrodes 720 are parallel to the common electrode 710, as that shownin FIG. 7. The left switch electrodes 720 provide a left switch channelto transport the particles 110. The right switch electrodes 730 aredisposed on the substrate along a second straight-line direction 742.The right switch electrodes 730 are disposed adjacent to a second end712 at the same side of the common electrode 710, and are parallel tothe common electrode 710, as shown in FIG. 7. The right switchelectrodes 730 provide a right switch channel to transport the particles110. Where, the first straight-line direction 741 extending from thefirst end 711 of the same side of the common electrode 710 does notintersect with the second straight-line direction 742 extending from thesecond end 712 of the same side of the common electrode 710, and acommon end of the left switch channel and the right switch channel isformed at the common electrode 710.

The power supply unit provides power signals to the common electrode710, the left switch electrodes 720 and the right switch electrodes 730in the particle transporter. For example, if the particles 110 are aboutto be moved along the left switch channel (i.e. along the firststraight-line direction 741), the left switch electrodes 720 and thecommon electrode 710 are respectively provided with a set of AC signals,and the right switch electrodes 730 are connected to the ground. The ACsignals of any two adjacent electrodes of the left switch electrodes 720and the common electrode 710 have a certain phase difference, which is,for example, 90°. Namely, in FIG. 7, if the AC signal provided to thecommon electrode 710 has a phase of 0°, the AC signal of the left switchelectrode 728 then has a phase of 90°, the AC signal of the left switchelectrode 727 has a phase of 180°, and the AC signal of the left switchelectrode 726 has a phase of 270°. Deduced by analogy, the AC signals ofthe left switch electrodes 725, 724, 723, 722 and 721 respectively havephases of 0°, 90°, 180°, 270° and 0°. Therefore, the particles 110 canbe moved along the first straight-line direction 741(along the directionshown by the arrow) through the left switch channel provided by theseleft switch electrodes 720.

If the particles 110 are about to be moved along the right switchchannel (i.e. along the second straight-line direction 742), the rightswitch electrodes 730 and the common electrode 710 are respectivelyprovided with a set of AC signals, and the left switch electrodes 720are connected to the ground. The AC signals of any two adjacentelectrodes of the right switch electrodes 730 and the common electrode710 have a certain phase difference, which is, for example, 90°. Namely,if the AC signal provided to the common electrode 710 has a phase of 0°,the AC signal of the right switch electrode 738 then has a phase of 90°,the AC signal of the right switch electrode 737 has a phase of 180°, andthe AC signal of the right switch electrode 736 has a phase of 270°.Deduced by analogy, the AC signals of the right switch electrodes 735,734, 733, 732 and 731 respectively have phases of 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°and 0°. Therefore, the particles 110 can be moved along the secondstraight-line direction 742 (along the direction shown by the arrow)through the right switch channel provided by these right switchelectrodes 730.

The switch 700 can also collect the particles of different sources tothe common end of the left switch channel and the right switch channel,i.e. collect the particles to the common electrode 710. For example, ifthe AC signals of the electrodes 721 and 731 have the phase of 0°, theAC signals of the electrodes 722, 726, 732 and 736 have the phase of90°, the AC signals of the electrodes 723, 727, 733 and 737 have thephase of 180°, the AC signals of the electrodes 724, 728, 734 and 738have the phase of 270°, and the AC signals of the electrodes 725, 735and 710 have the phase of 0°. In this way, the particles of differentsources are respectively collected to the common electrode 710 throughthe left switch channel and the right switch channel.

Lengths of the left switch electrodes 720 and lengths of thecorresponding right switch electrodes 730 can be the same. In thepresent exemplary embodiment, the lengths of the left switch electrodes720 are different, and the lengths of the right switch electrodes 730are different. For example, in FIG. 7, the lengths of the left switchelectrodes 720 are sequentially decreased from the top to the bottom.Therefore, when the particles 110 pass through the left switch channelprovided by the left switch electrodes 720 from the top to the bottom,the left switch electrodes 720 can simultaneously move and collect theparticles 110 to the common electrode 710. Similarly, the lengths of theright switch electrodes 730 are sequentially decreased from the top tothe bottom. Therefore, when the particles 110 pass through the rightswitch channel from the top to the bottom, the right switch electrodes720 can simultaneously move and collect the particles 110 to the commonelectrode 710.

Those skilled in the art can arbitrarily combine the conveyer 200 ofFIG. 2, the turn-around 400 of FIGS. 4-6 and/or the switch 700 of FIG. 7according to an actual design requirement, so as to determine/define amoving path of the particles 110 in the particle transporter.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a layout of a particle transporter according toa fifth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The particle transporterincludes a first collection electrode 810 and a second collectionelectrode 820 disposed on the substrate. The first collection electrodeand the second collection electrode 820 form a collector 800. The firstcollection electrode 810 has a first dentate portion S1, and the firstdentate portion S1 has a plurality of dentations, for example,dentations 811, 812, 813, 814 and 815. The second collection electrode820 is disposed next to the first collection electrode 810, and locatedadjacent to the first dentate portion S1. The second collectionelectrode 820 has a second dentate portion S2 at a side adjacent to thefirst dentate portion S1. The second dentate portion S2 has a pluralityof dentations, for example, dentations 821, 822, 823 824. Where, aparticle collection space is formed around tips of the dentate portionsof the first collection electrode 810 and the second collectionelectrode 820.

The dentations 811-815 and 821-824 all have an acute angle or a rightangle, and the dentations of the first dentate portion Si and thedentations of the second dentate portion S2 are arranged on thesubstrate in a finger shape. Where, the tips of the dentations 811-815and the tips of the dentations 821-824 are approximately aligned to asame straight line 830, as shown in FIG. 8. The tips of the dentations811-815 and the tips of the dentations 821-824 can be arranged beyondthe straight line 830 according to an actual design requirement, or thetips of the dentations 811-815 and the tips of the dentations 821-824can be arranged without contacting the straight line 830 (or locatedaway from the straight line 830).

The power supply unit provides the power signals to the first collectionelectrode 810 and the second collection electrode 820 of the particletransporter. For example, the first collection electrode 810 and thesecond collection electrode 820 are respectively provided with an ACsignal, and the AC signals of the first collection electrode 810 and thesecond collection electrode 820 have a certain phase difference, whichis, for example, 180°. Namely, if the AC signal provided to the firstcollection electrode 810 has a phase of 0°, the AC signal of the secondcollection electrode 820 then has a phase of 180°. Therefore, theparticle collection space is formed between the first collectionelectrode 810 and the second collection electrode 820. The particles 110are maintained around the tips of the dentate portions in the particlecollection space.

Those skilled in the art can arbitrarily combine the conveyer 200 ofFIG. 2, the turn-around 400 of FIGS. 4-6, the switch 700 of FIG. 7and/or the collector 800 of FIG. 8 according to an actual designrequirement, so as to determine/define a moving path of the particles110 in the particle transporter. For example, FIG. 9 is a top view of alayout of a particle transporter 900 according to a sixth exemplaryembodiment of the disclosure. The particle transporter 900 includes fourconveyers 200, three turn-around 400, one switch 700 and two collectors800. Related descriptions of FIG. 2, FIG. 4, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 can bereferred for implementations of the conveyer 200, the turn-around 400,the switch 700 and the collector 800, and detailed descriptions thereofare not repeated.

If the particles 110 are about to be moved from the bottom of FIG. 9 tothe top-left collector 800, the left switch electrodes 720 of the switch700 and all of the electrodes at the left part of FIG. 9 arerespectively provided with a set of AC signals of properly designedphases, and the right switch electrodes 730 of the switch 700 and all ofthe electrodes at the right part of FIG. 9 are connected to the ground.Therefore, the particles 110 can move from the conveyer 200 at thebottom of FIG. 9 to the top-left collector 800 through the switch 700,the turn-around 400, the conveyer 200, the turn-around 400 and theconveyer 200.

If the particles 110 are about to be moved from the bottom of FIG. 9 tothe top-right collector 800, the right switch electrodes 730 of theswitch 700 and all of the electrodes at the right part of FIG. 9 arerespectively provided with a set of AC signals of properly designedphases, and the left switch electrodes 720 of the switch 700 and all ofthe electrodes at the left part of FIG. 9 are maintained floating (orconnected to the ground). Therefore, the particles 110 can move from theconveyer 200 at the bottom of FIG. 9 to the top-right collector 800through the switch 700, the turn-around 400 and the conveyer 200.

In summary, in the particle transporter 900 of the above exemplaryembodiment, the AC electric field generated by a plurality of theelectrodes on the substrate is used to produce the DEP force and thetwDEP force to transport or collect the particles 110. Therefore, theparticle transporter 900 can be used to transport the particles 110 in astatic fluid (for example, solution). Since the neighbouring sides ofany two adjacent electrodes of the turn-around electrodes in theturn-around 400 are approximately parallel, the particles 110 at anypositions in the arc channel formed by the turn-around electrodes can besmoothly turned around without escaping. The particle transportersdisclosed by the aforementioned exemplary embodiments can be arbitrarilycombined with the four basic modules (the conveyer 200, the turn-around400, the switch 700 and the collector 800) to implement varioustransmissions. The combined particle transporter can transport theparticles 110 along desired transmission paths or fix the particles 110under a static fluid environment without using other devices to drivethe fluid. The particle transporters of the aforementioned exemplaryembodiments can be applied in biomedical and chemical researches orindustries.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure of theinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the invention covermodifications and variations of this invention provided they fall withinthe scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A particle transporter, comprising: a powersupply unit, for providing power signals to electrodes in the particletransporter; a first collection electrode, disposed on a substrate, andhaving a first dentate portion; and a second collection electrode,disposed on the substrate and located adjacent to the first dentateportion of the first collection electrode, and having a second dentateportion at a side adjacent to the first dentate portion, wherein aparticle collection space is formed around tips of the first dentateportion and the second dentate portion.
 2. The particle transporter asclaimed in claim 1, wherein any dentation of the first dentate portionand the second dentate portion has an acute angle or a right angle. 3.The particle transporter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tip of anydentation of the first dentate portion and the second dentate portion isapproximately aligned to a same straight line.
 4. The particletransporter as claimed in claim 1, wherein dentations of the firstdentate portion and the second dentate portion are arranged in a fingershape.
 5. The particle transporter as claimed in claim 1, wherein thepower signals are AC signals, and the AC signals of the first collectionelectrode and the second collection electrode have a phase difference.6. The particle transporter as claimed in claim 5, wherein the phasedifference is 180 degrees.
 7. The particle transporter as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising: a plurality of transport electrodes,disposed on the substrate along a third straight-line direction, whereinthe transport electrodes are parallel to each other and provide astraight-line channel for transporting the particles.
 8. The particletransporter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transport electrodesrespectively have a rectangular shape, wherein a width of each of thetransport electrodes is a, and a space between any two adjacentelectrodes of the transport electrodes is b, then 0.5a<b<1.5a.
 9. Theparticle transporter as claimed in claim 7, wherein lengths of thetransport electrodes are approximately the same.
 10. The particletransporter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the power signals are ACsignals, and the AC signals of any two adjacent electrodes of thetransport electrodes have a phase difference.
 11. The particletransporter as claimed in claim 10, wherein the phase difference is 90degrees.
 12. The particle transporter as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesubstrate is a printed circuit board (PCB).